A Chicken Run Christmas Carol
by al mcwhiggin 1999
Summary: I am back after a long hiatus. I don't know how often I will be on the site since I am in college. In this story Mrs. Tweedy is visited three ghost to help her change her ways. Will try to get the whole story up by Christmas. Merry Christmas! I don't own Chicken Run. Aardman does. I only own OC's.
1. Chapter 1

Stave One: Minerva's Ghost

Minerva was dead to begin with. There is no doubt whatsoever about that. Minerva was Melisha Tweedy's aunt. She, like Mrs. Tweedy, loved money more than anything. Minerva has been dead seven years.

It was Christmas Eve in Yorkshire and Tweedy's farm was back in business. The chickens were found by the circus man who owned Rocky and the circus man sold Rocky and the chickens. Mrs. Tweedy had bought her chickens back when he came to Yorkshire with them. The circus man found her chickens while on vacation touring exotic islands. The chickens did not attempt to escape from the circus man, since Fowler had inspired the chickens to have hoped to find the good in humans. Fowler had seen some good in humans during his time in the RAF.

Unfortunately, the chickens were back at the farm and Mr. Tweedy was working around the clock constructing the brand new pie machine that he bought for his wife as a Christmas present, but she was not grateful. Mr. Tweedy had talked his wife into letting him go to the family for Christmas.

"Fine Willard, just be here on the 26th bright and early, so you can work to get that pie machine done by the New Year", demanded Mrs. Tweedy.

"Yes love", said Mr. Tweedy. "Are you sure you don't want to come with me and see your sister and my brother and our niece?"

"No!" she barked. "Good evening! Go before I change my mind!"

Her husband left without another word and Mrs. Tweedy went to the bathroom to take a shower. After getting out of the shower and putting on her slippers and nightgown of black and red, she saw a face staring at her in the mirror.

"Melisha! Melisha! Melisha!" screamed the face that was staring at her.

Mrs. Tweedy ran to her bedroom screaming.

"Aunt Minerva", she whispered, after getting into bed.

Suddenly, the face appeared in full-body form. She was wearing a bonnet, dress, and gloves. She had chains upon her.

"Aunt Minerva", repeated Mrs. Tweedy. "But you're dead and why are you in my house?"

"I'm just the ghost of your aunt, darling". She regarded Mrs. Tweedy with a look of concern.

Minerva never gave Mrs. Tweedy such a caring look in her life. Mrs. Tweedy was surprised.

"I have come to warn you Melisha. If you keep going down the path you are on, you will have chains like me. Don't fret though; you will be visited by three more ghosts tonight. This is your last chance. Don't waste it. Don't waste your life like I did mine".

"Waste", sneered Mrs. Tweedy. "But you made profits and that is not a waste. I don't want to be visited by more ghosts."

"Without their visits, you cannot hope to avoid the path I tread. There is more to life than profits. Expect the ghost tonight at one. The second will appear the same time the next night. The final one come the next night on the stroke of midnight".

The ghost left and Mrs. Tweedy fell into a deep sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

Stave Two: The First of the Three Spirits

Mrs. Tweedy awoke at the stroke of one, but she did not see a ghost, just some blinding light. However, not for long, as a hen bearing a striking resemblance to Babs appeared. She was wearing a white tunic and had upon her head a wreath of holly. The ghost was knitting and smiling at Mrs. Tweedy. She inquired of the ghost's identify and if this was the spirit her aunt had spoke of.

"Oh, yes. I'm the Ghost of Christmas Past. Take hold of my yarn that I am knitting and you will fly with me."

Mrs. Tweedy obliged and she found herself at the boarding school she attended as a young girl. She had been made to stay for the holidays year after year and never celebrated Christmas. She would just read and study.

When she was a teen, she was finally allowed to come home to her aunt's one Christmas. She was feeding her aunt's chickens and bent down to pet a hen she called Elsie. The present Mrs. Tweedy tried to say "hello" to Elsie.

"My dear," said Babs, "these are the shadows of the things that have been. Nobody can see or hear us."

The Ghost of Christmas Past took Mrs. Tweedy to next Christmas. She was arguing with her aunt about Elsie.

"She has stopped laying eggs. You know the rule: no eggs, no life", stated her Aunt Minerva in the past.

"But she is my friend", cried the teenager.

"Chickens are not our friends. They give us eggs and meat. Aside from that they are worthless. Besides we cannot afford a turkey or a ham for Christmas. It costs too much. This hen will do nicely."

With those words, she sized Elsie and wrung her neck in front of the teenager. Both the current and past Mrs. Tweedy broke down and sobbed.

"She could've gotten a ham or a turkey. She was too tight", sobbed Mrs. Tweedy. As she cried, her mind flashed back to long hours of her young self cuddling Elsie. "Spirit "she demanded, "show me no more".

"One shadow more, honey. You need to see this for your own good", said the Spirit regretfully.

The Ghost and Mrs. Tweedy were now at the time Mrs. Tweedy and her aunt had become partners for the farm and the Christmas Eve when her aunt died, leaving the farm to her.

"Spirit, take me away", Mrs. Tweedy requested after seeing her aunt die and her past self inheriting the farm.

"As you wish, you still have two more visitors", the Ghost reminded her. "Learn from them as you did me. See what greed can do to you, Melisha."

With those words, Mrs. Tweedy found herself back in her bed waiting for the second visitor.


	3. Chapter 3

Stave Three: The Second of the Three Spirits

The bell had struck one again and Mrs. Tweedy heard a rooster crowing. She got out of bed quite annoyed.

"If that rooster is in my house, I will wring his neck", she threatened.

The rooster in the Tweedy's house did resemble Fowler greatly. However, this was no ordinary rooster, because this rooster wore a green robe and walked with a pace stick that glowed. The rooster was crowing with happiness,

"Why my dear lady, you're not happy. It is Christmas morning and I'm crowing with happiness", declared the Ghost.

"Spirit, conduct me where you will, if you strive to teach me, let me profit by it", said Mrs. Tweedy.

"Fall in and touch my robe. I am the Ghost of Christmas Present", replied the Ghost.

The Ghost took Mrs. Tweedy to a house she didn't recognize. When she asked where they were, the Spirit said they were at the house of Ruben and Tina Tweedy who had a little girl named Emily.

The couple and their child had sat down to dinner with Mr. Tweedy. They were talking about his marriage to Mrs. Tweedy that had taken place shortly after the New Year years ago. They were making jokes and then later they were playing a game called "Yes and No". The clue to the answer was an animal that lived in London and grunted and growled.

"Is it a bear?" asked Rueben.

"No, replied Mr. Tweedy.

"Is it a tiger?" asked Tina.

"No".

"I know", cried Emily "It's your wife and my aunt Melisha."  
"Yes", laughed Mr. Tweedy.

Mrs. Tweedy was appalled.

"Come, my dear lady, my time grows short", said the Ghost.

As she accompanied her visitor, Melisha noticed that his bright red comb and wattle were graying.

This time, the Spirit had taken Mrs. Tweedy to a place she knew very well indeed: the chicken hut, number 17.

"Why did you bring me here?" she questioned.

"It's Christmas here too", declared the Ghost.

Mrs. Tweedy saw Rocky and all of the hens get ready for a big party. The rats, Nick and Fetcher, were helping them set up with items they had taken from the Tweedy house. Mac was making calculations and Babs was organizing everything in a specific order. Bunty was knitting Christmas stockings for everyone,

"They have stolen our stuff. I will get it all back", declared Mrs. Tweedy.

"Don't fret and be silent", commanded the Ghost. "They will give everything back to you guys. They were borrowing these things for their party."

The party items consisted of a radio playing Christmas music, a disco ball, and flashing lights. There was even a small artificial tree with lights in the hut. Once everything for the party was set up, all of the chickens sat down to a feast of chicken feed. The Ghost pointed out to Mrs. Tweedy that if she wasn't so greedy, the chickens could be happier. However, the chickens were very appreciative of having Christmas together. After some dancing, the chickens sat down to Christmas dinner. During the meal, they were talking about ways to escape the farm again. Conversation at the table also turned over to the newest member of the chicken family, Abner. Abner was a cockerel who had become sick. After the meal, the words "God bless us everyone" was spoken by Abner. This was the sweetest thing Mrs. Tweedy had ever heard.

"Spirit, what will happen to the cockerel?" inquired Mrs. Tweedy.

While she asked her question, the scene changed to nighttime and the Spirit's comb and wattle were pure white now.

"If the shadows of Christmas Present are unaltered by Christmas Future, the cockerel will die. What's that to you, though? Shape up lady! I leave you now in the presence of the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come", the Ghost stated with a salute.

The Ghost disappeared and a dark figure was heading toward Mrs. Tweedy.


	4. Chapter 4

Stave Four: The Last of the Spirits

When the figure got closer to Mrs. Tweedy, she saw that it reminded her of her farm dogs. This ghost resembled a big black Doberman Pincher. The Ghost wore no garments, except for a spiky red collar and a black robe with a hood.

"Am I in the presence of the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come?" she asked.

The Ghost barked in assurance and led Mrs. Tweedy toward the cellar by their house. There, the farmyard rats Nick and Fetcher were showing a group of chickens blankets, curtains, and some diamonds.

"We will take a dozen eggs for all of this stuff", said Nick.

Fetcher nodded in agreement. Bunty, Gunger, and Babs; went ahead and split the price. The twelve eggs came from one of each hen giving four eggs.

"Why are they selling my items for eggs? I don't understand, Spirit. Well, I will get those things back".

The scene then changed to Rocky and Fowler having a conversation.

"The old bird bought it" laughed Fowler.

"She sure did" declared Rocky.

"What does this have to do with me?" asked Mrs. Tweedy.

The scene changed to a dark room with a bed covering a body. The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come went toward the bed. With his teeth, hr moved the blanket a little.

"I understand. Spirit, I have not the power ti uncover that body. This is a fearful place. I wish to leave it. I see the lesson: the case of this unhappy woman might be my own".

"Well, after the funeral, I will have another wife. I never wanted a divorce. It was too costly."

"Spirit, I want some depths of feeling. Some tenderness connected to death. Or I will be haunted by all of these terrible conversations forever. I want to know what will to Abner."

The Ghost complied with the request and the scene changed to Ginger, Rocky, Babs, Bunty, Mac, and Fowler. Abner, Ginger and Rocky's son was nowhere to be found. Ginger was crying, while everyone was trying to comfort her.

"Hen", said Mac. "As long as we're all together; especially at Christmastime, no one will ever forget Abner."

Before the scene faded, Mrs. Tweedy saw a gravestone bearing Abner's name.

"Spirit, these events can be changed, is that so?" asked Mrs. Tweedy. "These are the shadows of the things that may be only, correct? Also, I feel our parting time is at hand. Who was the woman we saw lying dead? Whose death brought so much happiness to others?"

The Ghost did not answer any questions. The scene changed to pallbearers and gravediggers just finishing a new grave. It was an unusual funeral, because there were no mourners present. After everyone left, the Ghost pointed at the headstone with his tail. The Ghost bared his teeth and snarled. Mrs. Tweedy bent to look at the grave. She saw her own name on the stone: MELISHA TWEEDY.

"Spirit, I am not the woman I was. I will honor Christmas in my heart and try to keep it all of the year. The Spirits of Past, Present, and Future will thrive within me. I will remember the lessons that have been taught to me" pleaded Mrs. Tweedy pleaded through sobs.

The Ghost ignored her pleas and jumped barking at her, scaring her into not a grave, but the pie machine, that was alight with fire. Mrs. Tweedy screamed in terror, however she was screaming into her pillow.


	5. Chapter 5

Stave Five: The End of It

Mrs. Tweedy stopped screaming long enough to look at her surroundings. She was back in her own room. Nothing of her was stolen, including her diamonds. She gazed upward.

"Thank you Spirits, I will keep my promise. Oh, I say it on my knees, Aunt Minerva, on my knees."

She looked outside her window and called out to one of the neighbors.

"My darling boy, what day is it?"Mrs. Tweedy asked.

"Christmas Day, Mrs. Tweedy", replied the boy.

"It's Christmas Day. I haven't missed it. The Spirits did it all in one day", Mrs. Tweedy said to herself.

With this wonderful realization, she put on a bright red dress and bonnet, along with white gloves and black boots and a belt. On her way out, she grabbed some chicken feed. In fact, she got the most she could carry and went outside to feed the chickens.

"Merry Christmas, you darling chickens, I have wonderful news. From now on, any chicken that stops laying eggs never has to live in fear again. I will never butcher another chicken again. You all welcome to have all of this feed and my love. I promise that I will never eat chicken again. I won't even make any chicken pies with that infernal machine. I will do fruit pies."

She smiled lovingly at all of the chickens and bent down to stroke Abner.

"You, my dear, I will take you to a vet, to make sure you get better. In fact, I will take you tomorrow, love. Goodbye, my darlings, I will see you tomorrow. And here is cheese for those rats. They are welcome to no longer to hide from Mr. Tweedy or myself."

After she tended to the chickens, she surprised her sister, Willard's brother, their niece, and Mr. Tweedy. She went to celebrate Christmas with them and even brought Christmas presents. She surprised Mr. Tweedy more so at dinner.

"Mr. Tweedy, I want you to work on that pie machine at your own pace. There is no need to rush. Also, I'm going to sell fruit pies, not chicken pies. I'll even male apple pies. Merry Christmas, honey", Mrs. Tweedy told her husband.

At dinner, Mrs. Tweedy thought she saw her aunt again. This time, without chains, because she had helped Mrs. Tweedy redeem herself. She also thought she saw all three Ghosts smile and wink at her in approval. After dinner, the Tweedys danced, played games, and Mr. and Mrs. Tweedy shared a kiss under mistletoe that Tina put up.

The day after Christmas, Mrs. Tweedy took Abner to a vet and got him some medicine. Gradually, Abner got better. The chickens were treated so much better now that they never tried to escape again. The rats were welcome to reveal themselves to the Tweedys and were given access to anything the Tweedys had, within reason, of course. Mrs. Tweedy was better than her word. She became as good a wife, as good a woman, and as good as a mistress, as old Yorkshire ever had. And to Abner, who did NOT die, she became a second mother. It was also said that Melisha Tweedy knew how to keep Christmas well, if any woman alive possessed the knowledge. May that truly be said of us and all of us. And so, as Abner observed, "God bless us, everyone!"


End file.
